Antigua and Barbuda

Internet country code

.ag

Internet hosts

2,215 (2008)

Internet users

60,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: good automatic telephone system international: country code - 1-268; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; satellite earth stations - 2; tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

37,500 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

110,200 (2006)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

Agriculture - products

cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Budget

revenues: $123.7 million expenditures: $145.9 million (2000 est.)

Central bank discount rate

6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.44% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Current account balance

$-211 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$359.8 million (June 2006)

Economy - overview

Antigua has a relatively high GDP per capita in comparison to most other Caribbean nations. It has experienced solid growth since 2003, driven by a construction boom in hotels and housing that which should wind down in 2008. Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for slightly more than one-third of tourist arrivals. Since taking office in 2004, the SPENCER government has adopted an ambitious fiscal reform program, but will continue to be saddled by its debt burden with a debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 100%.

Electricity - consumption

97.65 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

105 million kWh (2006 est.)

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976

Exports

$84.3 million (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals

Exports - partners

Spain 34%, Germany 20.7%, Italy 7.7%, Singapore 5.8%, UK 4.9% (2006)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.089 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.526 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 3.8% industry: 22% services: 74.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$18,300 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.1% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$522.8 million (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Imports - partners

US 21.1%, China 16.4%, Germany 13.3%, Singapore 12.7%, Spain 6.5% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (2007 est.)

Labor force

30,000 (1991)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 7% industry: 11% services: 82% (1983)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

4,109 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

157.7 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

4,556 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.002 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$294.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$902 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

11% (2001 est.)

Area

total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

153 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Environment - current issues

water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.005 cu km/yr (60%/20%/20%) per capita: 63 cu m/yr (1990)

Geographic coordinates

17 03 N, 61 48 W

Geography - note

Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a large western harbor

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 18.18% permanent crops: 4.55% other: 77.27% (2005)

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards

hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts

Natural resources

NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Terrain

mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas

Total renewable water resources

0.1 cu km (2000)

Administrative divisions

6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip

Capital

name: Saint John's geographic coordinates: 17 07 N, 61 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

1 November 1981

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Deborah Mae LOVELL chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Louisse LAKE-TACK (since 17 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Flag description

red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band

Government type

constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government

Independence

1 November 1981 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction); member Caribbean Court of Justice

Legal system

based on English common law

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ALP 4, UPP 13

National holiday

Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981)

Political parties and leaders

Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three parties - Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, Progressive Labor Movement or PLM, United National Democratic Party or UNDP)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak Indians populated the islands when COLUMBUS landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 19,560 females age 16-49: 18,977 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 15,591 females age 16-49: 15,542 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 744 female: 742 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (2007)

Military expenditures

NA

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.2% (male 11,670/female 11,318) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 26,138/female 29,859) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 2,408/female 3,129) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

16.78 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2002)

Ethnic groups

black 91%, mixed 4.4%, white 1.7%, other 2.9% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 17.49 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.21 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

English (official), local dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.25 years male: 72.33 years female: 76.26 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 85.8% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 29.5 years male: 28 years female: 30.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s) adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Net migration rate

2.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

84,522 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.305% (2008 est.)

Religions

Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

Airports

3 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 1,146 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 50, cargo 651, carrier 4, chemical tanker 5, container 392, liquefied gas 12, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 20 foreign-owned: 1,113 (Australia 1, Colombia 2, Cyprus 18, Denmark 19, Estonia 23, France 1, Germany 941, Greece 3, Iceland 12, Italy 1, Latvia 13, Lithuania 5, Netherlands 20, NZ 2, Norway 8, Poland 2, Russia 4, Slovenia 6, Sweden 1, Switzerland 8, Turkey 6, UK 9, US 8) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Saint John's

Roadways

total: 1,165 km paved: 384 km unpaved: 781 km (2002)